Evelyn's Top 5

One of my favorite books ever is Soundtracks by Jon Acuff. The book is based on solving the problem of overthinking, a problem I can relate to. I'm not going to recap the book here, but I recommend it as a priority read.

Today, let's focus on a section of the book where Jon talks about what to do when your "broken soundtracks" get too loud. These "broken soundtracks" are often lies we tell ourselves or thought patterns that have spiraled out of control and taken over our whole thought process, causing us anxiety and even panic; when these are playing we need to take a step back and calm down.

Jon lists 50 techniques that can help you turn your broken soundtracks down and start to play new ones, healthy ones.

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These last couple weeks have been extremely stressful for multiple reasons. I'm sure you can relate. Whether it's school, relationships, work, or your busy schedule, we all have times that we are overwhelmed and stressed. We go on full speed with our schedules booked that weeks go by and we haven't de-stressed. Stress and broken soundtracks go hand and hand. With both of them, we need to step back every now and then and take a breath; we need to reset.

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Everyone deals with their stress differently, and some of us don't deal with it at all. Today instead of listing Jon's 50 techniques to turn off broken soundtracks, I'm going to let you get to know me a little more. Here are some of my reset techniques when I'm overly stressed, anxious, or letting my broken soundtracks win.

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Evelyn's Top 5 Resets:

1. Worship Music

On the most stressful days, there is nothing more calming then listening to worship music. Whether it's in the car, blaring from my television, or in the background while I get ready, it refocuses my mind and helps me take a step back, realizing what's really important.

2. Budgeting

This may sound funny, but budgeting helps me de-stress. I plan to budget on Saturday mornings every other week. This is basically a scheduled down time for me.

3. Exercising

Probably cliche, but after a good exercise, even just a quick one, the world seems like a better place to be. I can funnel my emotions through a work out and then think more clearly afterward.

4. Reading

Not just reading any book, specifically school books or medical books help me calm down. It makes my brain work in a different way, I have to think or learn about something other than what is causing me stress or what broken record I'm trying to fix.

5. Watch a comfort movie 

We all have one. Maybe it's a movie you watched when you were a kid that made you feel safe and loved, maybe it's a superhero film like mine, or maybe it's any comedy so you can get a good laugh.

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Those are my top 5 resetting techniques when I'm overly stressed. Those depend on myself. Other techniques can include, calling someone to check up on them, getting together with a good friend, petting your dog, people watching at a coffee shop, or even writing a letter.

Everyone has their own top 5.

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My challenge to you: write out your top 5.

Ask yourself questions:

Are these healthy ways to calm down?

Is this technique I use to reset beneficial to better myself?

Do I actually take time to reset or do I let stress control my life?

Sometimes we need to identify healthy outlets for stress, then when more stressful times come we can manage it a little bit better. Mine are very simple, but they take my mind of off what is stressing me out, removing me from the overwhelming situations. After I'm a little less stressed, I can think more clearly and deal with the true problem. What are your top 5?

Grace and Peace,

Evelyn